Ooh, I didn't know you could get E.L.F. here, fisticuffs! I just found their Dutch website. Will have to check it out. I just ordered the 6 piece eye brush set and the bamboo powder brush from Ecotools, so that should tide me over qua brushes for a while, but I need to replace all sorts of other stuff too. (I'm so gonna pick your brain for where to get good stuff in Belgium!)

_________________I ate the shiitake out of inappropriateness. - Hollie

Not a 'product' as such, but have you guys seen the Dutch veganchallenge website? It has this cool map where vegans and aspiring vegans can mark their location and leave a message. Great way to meet other vegans and to help the newbies find their nooch and stuff. There are already 6 other vegans in a three mile radius of where we live! The site has some nice easy recipes too.

I was checking that out out of curiosity. (I'd love to be a buddy when I'm finally settled in one location, but right now I'm travelling more than staying still.) There's actually someone right around the corner from me in Amsterdam!

Checked the town where I'm moving in Belgium (it'll do Belgian post codes too) and there's no one for miles around. It makes me feel like "the only vegan in the village" (said in fake Welsh accent). Of course, they're probably there, but just haven't signed up on the website. (No one shows up in Ghent either, and that's vegan central!) Actually, I know there has to be at least one more vegan in town, because someone else has been buying the veganaise at the HFS.

ETA: Hmmm... now I think maybe I should sign up. I could be a buddy in Amsterdam and maybe find a buddy nearby in Belgium who could help me navigate the landscape there. Will think about it.

Cornelie, have you signed up?

_________________I ate the shiitake out of inappropriateness. - Hollie

Yes I have, twice actually. One flag in Zaandam and one in Koudekerke (Zeeland) because there it is the only Dutch province that doesn't have ANY flags yet. I did a lot of shopping there for X-mas dinner with my folks, so I know where to find stuff.

ETA: David and I have decided to try our own vegan challenge and be fully vegan for the whole year (or the rest of our lives if it works out). I have a friend's wedding and some conferences coming up, so I'm quite nervous, but determined.

You can do it Cornelie! When I've written conference organizers in the past, they've always been really great about providing me with vegan meals. Snacks are hit or miss (only 2 conferences have nailed it), but meals? No problem.

I was checking that out out of curiosity. (I'd love to be a buddy when I'm finally settled in one location, but right now I'm travelling more than staying still.) There's actually someone right around the corner from me in Amsterdam!

Checked the town where I'm moving in Belgium (it'll do Belgian post codes too) and there's no one for miles around. It makes me feel like "the only vegan in the village" (said in fake Welsh accent). Of course, they're probably there, but just haven't signed up on the website. (No one shows up in Ghent either, and that's vegan central!) Actually, I know there has to be at least one more vegan in town, because someone else has been buying the veganaise at the HFS.

ETA: Hmmm... now I think maybe I should sign up. I could be a buddy in Amsterdam and maybe find a buddy nearby in Belgium who could help me navigate the landscape there. Will think about it.

Cornelie, have you signed up?

Vegan challenge is an initiative from the dutch vegan society, and I assume that's why there are not much people in Belgium that participate.

Not a 'product' as such, but have you guys seen the Dutch veganchallenge website? It has this cool map where vegans and aspiring vegans can mark their location and leave a message. Great way to meet other vegans and to help the newbies find their nooch and stuff. There are already 6 other vegans in a three mile radius of where we live! The site has some nice easy recipes too.

i guess this counts as a reasonable request? i asked in the living room already, but figured you might know some dutch films which might be better, or dutch resources (which are more youth friendly). most of the kids there will speak english, but i think it's better to watch something in dutch if possible. and hey, i'll get to practice my dutch, too! ;)

the living room request wrote:

i'm going to lead a vegan!youth day event at the end of february. we're going to cook and eat together, maybe share some recipes and shopping tips, too. i was also thinking of maybe showing a short documentary on what's "right" about being vegan (or what's "wrong" about traditional agriculture and animal farms, etc.). do you guys have any recommendations? youth aged 15-30 will be there; less graphic is probably better.

Ugh! That SUCKS! I had no idea. :( Ok, it's gonna be Attitude from now on. Gad, I hate that! Companies that give lip service to being animal/enviro friendly who then turn around and pull shiitake like this peas me off more than all the mainstream "non-animal friendly" companies. (Scare quotes, 'cause a lot of them I'm not even sure of their status.)

They don't use blood of rabbits any more. I think the CEO of the company decided to donate his blood instead. But still I was very disappointed when I found out about this, and I didn't use their products for a couple of years. Last year I started buying their fabric softener again (which by the way the Albert Heijn is selling now), because I really need a fabric softener which smells nice, and they are still better than most companies anyway. But I totally understand that people are still boycotting their products.

They don't use blood of rabbits any more. I think the CEO of the company decided to donate his blood instead. But still I was very disappointed when I found out about this, and I didn't use their products for a couple of years. Last year I started buying their fabric softener again (which by the way the Albert Heijn is selling now), because I really need a fabric softener which smells nice, and they are still better than most companies anyway. But I totally understand that people are still boycotting their products.

If that's true, than I wonder what made them change cause when it was discovered the critics mentioned that they could use human blood, which Ecover seemed to find unethical.

I know that blood banks are willing to supply blood for that kind of testing, so I didn't understand why Ecover didn't do that.

On the Dutch vegan forum I found an article that you posted, and it said: "The Managing Director of Ecover has stated that if blood is needed for this test in the future he will donate his own blood!"I will try to find some more info on this, to see whether he actually did donate his own blood.